Local people get into the 'ACT' helping people

POINTE AUX CHENES, La. — There were lines for gas. Lines to get into Walmart. There were lots of lines but no power. Food and water were hard to get. Three men from Norwalk — Dave Wallace, Pastor Paul Lamb and Greg Graves — packed up and headed south last week to Pointe Aux Chenes, La., following Hurricane Ida to lend a helping hand. Wallace is executive director of ACT (Answering the Call Together), Lamb is vice president and Graves is one of the organization's many volunteers. "We were down there for four days," Wallace said. "We went down with our mobile kitchen. I know we cooked over 1,000 hamburgers, brats and hot dogs. We served six, seven hundred meals. "It is far worse than Hurricane Katrina ever was. There just is no media attention. There are hundreds of people without power and water and will be for at least three months." It was not the first rodeo for the group. "We went to Hurricane Harvey through Houston and Hurricane Irma through Florida," Wallace said. But this was a bad one. "The fishing village that we were serving was about two miles from the water," Wallace said. "One fella said he was so happy to have something to eat others then a peanut butter sandwich. He was just happy to have a hot burger. "We had Gatorade, chips, fruit cups. They didn't have any of that stuff. It was very rewarding to be able to serve people who were that desperate. "Every single roof is damaged, most are completely ripped off. Yet the people are hopeful and have come together … I wish this was on the news — just people loving people." The group used First Presbyterian Church in Norwalk was a drop-off point for supplies. "We are shipping a semi-truck load of materials down there to same area," Wallace said. "We are looking for Gatorade, cleaning supplies like bleach, sprayers, deodorizers. construction trash bags, mold remediation cleaners ... things like that. "They have plenty of water so they are looking for Gatorade. It is hot and humid down there. It is in the 90s at night." Before heading down the first time the group collected about $3,000 in cash and supplies. "Thank you and please share," Wallace said. "These people really need our help."